My Homemade Pasta Recipe

Ok, so I am also going to share my Pasta recipe!!  I love making fresh pasta.  There is really nothing like it.  It takes some effort, but it really is worth it.  I know that during this crazy virus stuff the grocery store aisles are empty of dried pasta but they have had eggs, so if you have all purpose flour this is a can-do.

Recipe:

3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour, I use Bob's Red Mill Unbleached All Purpose Flour
4 eggs
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon or so of filtered water

Right up front I will tell you I use my KitchenAid mixer with a pasta attachment.  But you can use the manual pasta roller, which is super cheap to get. You can also use the pool method to mix the ingredients where you put the flour on a surface like your countertop and make a pool in the middle, put the eggs and salt in and slowly fold the sides in with a fork making the dough.  I like using my mixer.   I also use a sifter for my flour.  I like that it makes the pasta really light.  But it can be done without sifting.

Add the flour to the bowl and the salt.  With the dough hook on mix those together.   I crack all four eggs into a measuring cup and add 1 Tablespoon filtered water.  Add the eggs one egg at a time and let it mix on low to incorporate each egg before adding another.  Once all eggs have been added let it run for a few minutes, stop it and check the moisture level.  If it needs more water add a teaspoon and run it again and see how it is.  DO NOT add too much water.  It only takes a little, and too much makes your pasta dough wet and sticky.  If that does happen you have to add a little flour and try to get it to the right consistency.  you want it doughy not crumbly or sticky.

Once you have to dough the right consistency, you're ready to roll it through the pasta machine.  I roll my dough long like I do with cookie dough and slice it into smaller easy to handle pieces.  I press those down flat enough to fit through the press.

and off we go!  I put the flattened pasta pieces through the press first on 1 and folding until it is the shape and width I like then I run in through on 2, 3 and then 4.  I like the thickness of 4.  If your pasta is a little sticky when you are running it through just dust it with a little flour.

Once all of the pasta sheets are rolled out Its time to change out the attachments to what pasta I am making.  If you don't have these don't worry.  You can cut pasta with anything and make any type you like.  My daughter loves to make pappardelle which she does with a pizza slicer, so it really just depends on what you have.

Once I run the sheets through I always dust the pasta with a little all purpose flour and work it through to make sure they don't stick.

And there it is!!  Pasta!  Now all that is left is to cook and eat it.  It takes just a few minutes in boiling water, way less than what dried pasta takes.  Now you can dry it to use later, but we always eat it fresh.

Hope you give it a try!  And once you do I think you will be hooked.

Sharing My Bread Recipe

I have had several friends as this Stay at Home During the Virus thing is happening ask me how to make bread.  I have made my own bread for years, but now that stores are running out of it and people are trying to figure out what to do I am glad to share my bread recipe.


The recipe:

1 1/4 cups water, filtered
3 1/3 Cups Bread Flour.  Now I make my own flour with wheat berries and a grinder, however since most people don’t have these I recommend Bob’s Red Mill unbleached Bread Flour.
2 tablespoons Organic Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast, Not rapid rise

I did this is with a KitchenAid mixer since most people asking me for this recipe have one.  If you do not have one you can do this with a big mixing bowl, it just takes longer to mix.

The first thing is to put the ingredients in order.  The water on the bottom, flour next, and so on, layering them.  Once all your ingredients on it then put the dough hook on the mixer and put it on low.  Low, or the ingredients will blow up in your face.  Let it run for a while.  The ingredients with incorporate and it will then become dough.

One you have dough, take it out on a lightly floured surface and work the dough.  I take the front and roll it over the top and gently press it forward and keep that same motion for a few minutes.  Once the dough is ready put it in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled on the sides with olive oil, to prevent it from totally sticking.  Cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rise.  I like to put it under the stove light so the heat helps this process.  It will take about an hour to rise.

Once it rises, I take it out and on that lightly floured surface again I work the dough a second time.  This time I form it into a ball and split it in two.  I like to make two loaves, but you can keep this together to form one large loaf, it just wont fit in a bread pan unless you split it. ( So if you decide to make one just shape it like a French loaf and you can bake it that way on a parchment lined baking sheet. ) One you have split the loaves put them into the bread pans and cover them with a towel again for the second rise.  Once the have risen again it's time to bake.

Bake them in the oven at 400* for 20 mins.

Once the cool off, cut and enjoy!!!

Hopefully this will help until this is all over and people aren't fighting to find bread.  Or maybe you will enjoy making it smooch you won't ever buy store-bought again!!!